Sewing-machine



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SEWING MACHINE. No. 447,402. I Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

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M. GARDNER.

SEWING MAGHINE.

'No. 447,402. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

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M. GARDNER. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 447,402. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

FFICE.

ATENT MARSHALL GARDNER, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGI OItTO THOMAS H. BALL AND JAMES STONE, OF AURORA, AND SIMON FLORSHEIM, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 447,402, dated March 3, 1891.

Original application filed June 21, 1837, Serial No. 241,950. Divided and this application filed June 1, 1888. Serial No.362,144.

. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL GARDNER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in.

feeding mechanisms for sewing-machines of that class known as top feeds or feeds located above the work-plate of the machine.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims. a

The invention is herein shown as applied to a gang sewing-machine of the kind shown in prior applications filed by'me, Serial No. 224,735, filed January 18, 1887, and Serial No. 241,950, filed June 21, 1887. The feeding devices herein shown and claimed embody improvements upon the feeding devices shown in said application, Serial-No. 224,735.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section illustrating the main operative parts of a sewing-machine, the section being taken upon the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2' is an elevation of the rear side of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken upon line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken upon line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the presser-foot and feed-dog as seen from beneath. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken upon line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken upon line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail section taken upon line 8 S of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a detail section taken upon line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

In the said drawings, A indicates the workplate of the sewing-machine, B a supporting frame or arm attached to and extending over the said plate, and O a vertical reciprocating needle-bar having bearings in the said frame. The said arm 13 in the particular machine herein illustrated consists of a horizontal part B, which is supported at both ends from the plate A by means of two standards, (one of which is seen at B said horizontal part I3 being provided at its middle part with a depending part or projection 13", in which the bearings for the needle-bar O are formed.

D is a horizontal crankshaft having suitable bearings in the frame B, said crank-shaft being provided with the usual drive-pulley outside of the frame at one end of the latter and with a crank D engaging a pitman D by which the crank is connected with the needle-bar C.

The machine herein shown is what is known as a gang-machine, or oneadapted for sewing a number of lines of stitches side by side, and said machine is provided with a series of needles E E E and with a corresponding sevided with thread carriers or bobbins G G Gr.

H H are two castings located beneath the work-plate A of the machine, and in the lower surface of which are formed a series of curved shuttle-races or guide-grooves h h. The several shuttles F F F are flat in form, and are held and guided at their outer or upper edges in the said curved races or guide-grooves h h, and have an oscillatory,or back-anchforward motion therein through an arc of about onefourth of a circle. Oscillatory motion is given to the said shuttles by means of a shuttlecarrying device, which is so constructed as to support the shuttles in engagement with the guide-grooves, whileat the same time giving oscillatory motion thereto. Such shuttle-carrying device comprises as its main parts a rock-shaft I, mounted in bearingsz'z', arranged at either side of the guides h h and concentrically therewith, and two horizontal bars I 1*, which are rigidly connected with and are moved by the said rock-shaft. The said bars I I are constructed to engage the shuttles F F at points near the forward and rear ends of the latter in such manner as to hold the said shuttles in place within the guide-grooves andat the same time to transmit .the 0scilla-' tory movement of the carrier to the said shuttles, in a manner fully set forth in said separate application, Serial No. 241,950.

K is the take-up arm for the upper threads. Said arm is attached to a rock-shaft K, mounted in bearings Ya Ya within the hollow interior of the frame B, and is constructed to pass through a central opening of the pitinan D and through a slot Win the front wall of the part B of the frame-arm. Said arm K is provided at its outer or free end with a horizontal bar K provided with a series of threadguides 7:. 7c, severally engaging the upper threads 0 0. For actuating the said take-up arm K, the rock-shaft Kis provided with a rigid arm K having upon its free end a pin 73, which engages a cam-slot Z, formed in a cam L, which is attached to the crank-shaft D, these parts being similar to those contained in the machines shown in said prior applica tions.

N. indicates one of a series of spring takeup devices for use in connection with a positively-actuated take-up, such as is above described.

The improved feed device herein shown and claimed is applicable to all machines, but

being more especially intended for use upon V machines employed for securing between two layers of cloth a series of stiffening strips or bones. as desirable in the manufacture of cor sets or corset-stiffenin g. The said feed device is located entirely above the work-plate of the machine and embraces a vertically movable or reciprocating presser-foot N and a vertically and horizontally reciprocating feed-dog 0, operating in the manner of what is commonly known as a four motion feed. Means are provided for actuating the said presser-foot and the feed-dog in such manner that the feed-dog is depressed and moved forward at the time the presser-foot is lifted to release the material beneath it, while the presser-foot is thrust downwardly to firmly hold the said material at the time the feeddog is lifted and is being carried backwardly preparatory to another forward movement. These motions of the presser-foot and feeddog are, furthermore, so timed with relation to the movements of the needle that the presser-foot is lifted and the feed-dog depressed and advanced at the time the needle is at the upper limit of its movement and free from the cloth or material being operated upon in the same manner as heretofore common with feed devices located beneath the work-plate. For the general purposes of this part of the invention, motion may be given to the pressenfoot and the feed-dog in any manner found convenient or desirable. I have, however, herein illustrated devices for moving the said parts which embrace certain features of novelty, as will hereinafter appear. The said presser-foot and feed-dog also embrace in themselves certain novel features of construction adapting them for use in gangmachines.

To first describe the peculiarities of construetion in the presser-foot and feed-dog, the said presser-foot and the feed-dog are made with interpenetrating projections or fingers, so that they may both act upon the material being operated upon at points adjacent to and between each of the several needles of the machine. Said presser-foot is made of suitable width to embrace several needles of the machine, and is provided with holes a n, severally receiving the needles. In the lower surface of the presser-foot, in the same vertical planes with the. needles, are arranged a series of downwardlyprojecting teeth or flanges n n, arranged to bear upon the material being operated upon both at the front and in rearof the needles. In. case the machine having a presser foot thus made is employed for sewing bones in corsets or corststifl'ening, the said ribs or flanges n will enter and press upon the layers of cloth in the spaces between the bones at the points where the rows of stitches are inserted, thus drawing and holding the said layers close together at this point and causing the cloth layers to be drawn and held tightly about the bones by the rows of stitching. The main part or body 0 of the feed dog 0 extends continuously across in front of the presser foot X, and attached to the said main part 0 are a series of projections or fingers 0, which extend beneath thebody of the presser-foot and into the spaces between the projections or flanges a n thereof and between the needles, the said fingers 0 being roughened or serrated upon their lower surfaces in a familiar manner. By this construction of the feed-dog the latter is caused to press upon the work at both sides of each needle, so that said presser-foot operates to press upon the work and hold it in place at the time the presser-foot is lifted to allow the forward movement of said work under the action of the feed-dog.

The devices shown for supporting and actir ating the presser-foot N are as follows: N N N are vertical shafts mounted to slide in guide-recesses n n in the part B of the frame and rigidly secured at their lowerends to the presser-foot N. N is a spring applied to throw the presser-foot downwardly, said spring being located, as herein shown,in one of the recesses a above the shaft N. N is a bell-crank lever mounted upon a pivot 71. and provided with a horizontalarm which ex tends inwardly through a slot or opening in the frame-casting and engages one of the said shafts N. The vertical arm of the lever N" is engaged at its upper end with a depending rigid arm N upon aroek-shaft N mounted upon the upper part of the frame at the rear side of the latter. Said rock-shaft has upon its opposite end a second rigid arm N, which extends inwardly to a point beneath the crank-shaft D, and is adapted to engage a cam N 7 upon said shaft, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. In the operation of this device the cam N acting upon the arm N", gives an oscillatory motion to the rock-shaft N which is transmitted through the medium of the arm N" and lever N to the presser-foot. As herein shown, the lever N is provided in its upper end with an adjustable bearing-point conveniently made in the form of a set-screw n, in scrtedth rough the said lever and bearing against the lower end of the arm N said setscrew 12, serving as a means whereby the extent of the movement of the presser-foot may be controlled as desired.

To enable the presser-foot to belifted above the work-plate independently of the actuating devices described for inserting and removing the work, I have provided devices as follows: P is a horizontal shaft mounted upon the machine at the rear of the frame-arm and between the latter and the vertical part of the lever N Said shaft P is provided with an eccentric P at a point opposite the said lever N and in the said lever is inserted a 'stud 1), adapted to bear upon the eccentric,

the parts being so arranged that when the shaft is turned the upper end of the lever will be thrust outwardly by the action of the ec-,

centric, with the effect of lifting the end of the horizontal part of the said lever and thus raising the prcsser-foot. The stud p is for the purpose of adjustment, herein shown as screwthreaded, and inserted through the said lever N The shaft P is provided with a handle P whereby it may be conveniently turned for lifting the presser-foot in the mannor above described. In the particular machine herein illustrated, said shaft P is mounted in the block P secured to the rear surface of the .part B of the machine-frame, the said block being constructed to also support the pivot 01 of the lever N To enable the extent of downward motion of the presserfoot to be limited independently of the action of the eccentric P and of the actuating devices above described, a screw stud p is inserted through the said lever N in such manner as to bear at its inner end against the block P as clearly shown in Fig. .l.

The devices employed for sustaining and actuating the feed-dog O are as follows: Said feed-dog is supported in position for operation by means of two arms Q Q, which arms are attached at their upper ends to a plate or casting Q, which extends horizontally beneath the part B of the frame adjacent to and at the rear of the needle-bar. Said plate Q is attached at its ends to two vertical plates Q Q, located at opposite sides of said part B of the frame, and the said parts Q Q Q with the arms Q Q attached thereto, are pivotally supported by means of two horizontal crank-arms R R, which are rigidly attached to a-rock-shaft R, supported in bearings r '7' upon the part B of the frame at the rear of and parallel with the needle-bar. Said bearings 1' 1' are herein shown as formed by means of upwardly-projecting lugs upon the ends of the horizontal plate 0", which is bolted to the lower surface of the casting B The construction described affords a vertical movement in the arms Q Q and the feed-dog by the swinging of the arms R R about the pivotal axis of the rock-shaft R, while a horizontal movement is allowed in the said feeddog bythe swinging of the said arms Q Q and the plates Q and Q Q upon the pivots qq, connecting said plates Q Q with the arms R B. To one of the plates Q is rigidly attached a bar Q Fig. 3, which bar extends upwardly at the rear of the frame-arm, and is provided at its upper end ,with a rigidly-attached horizontal arm Q which extends into the interior of the frame-casting]? and is provided at its end with a yoke S, which surrounds the crankshaft D. Said yoke is constructed to engage with two cams T T upon the crank-shaft D, which cams are so-arranged as to give a combined horizontal and vertical movement to the yoke, which movement is transmitted to the feed-dog through the several parts, by which said yoke is rigidly connected with the feed-dog. One T of said cams is arranged to act alternately upon opposite vertical bearing-faces s s of the yoke S in such manner as to move the said yoke horizontally and to thereby swing the arms Q Q about the pivots q q to give the necessary horizontal reciprocatory movement to the feed-clog O. The other cam T operates upon a horizontal surface 5 of the yoke S in such manner as to lift the yoke and parts connected therewith, a downward movement of the feed-dog for the purpose of pressing the latter against the work being producedby a spring S, attached to the rear surface of the frame-piece and acting against a rigid arm R attached to the rock-shaft R; Said spring acts against the said arm R in a direction to carry the crankarms R R downwardly, and to thereby thrust the feed-dog'toward the work-plate of the machine. The cams T and T are located side by side, and the surfaces .9, s, and s of the yoke S are arranged in different vertical planes, so that the cams may act thereon independently of each other. The said bearing-surfaces s s are herein shown as formed on movable or adjustable plates 5 s adjustably secured to the yoke in the same manner as are the plates of a similar yoke described in said prior application, No. 224,735.

As a further improvement in devices for operating the feed-dog O, I have provided a device giving frictional engagement between the upper end of the arm Q and a part attached to the sewing-machine frame, such device-preventing'any movement of the said lever and connected parts, excepting when positively moved by the actuating-cam. The said device for producing frictional engagement may be made in any one of a number of wellknown forms. The device herein shown is made as follows: Q Q are two plates pivoted at q to the rear of the framearm B and extendinghorizontally to the rear and at either side of a rearwardly-projecting arm Q upon the bar The said plates Q Q are provided with horizontal slots Q2 1 IIO bolt and one of the plates Q is placed a spring-washer g, which operates to press the said plates Q Q against the arm Q, and thereby produce frictional engagement between the parts for the purpose above stated. I have herein shown washers g of leather or cloth as inserted between the arms Q and plates Q Such washers are, however, not essential for the operation of the device.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, with the needles of a gang sewing-machine, ot' a presser-foot the working-face of which is provided with two series of fingers, one series located at the point at the front and the other at the rear of the needles, both series being in alignment with the needles, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the needles of a gang sewing-machine, of a resser-foot pro vided with apertures for the needles and having projections on the under face thereof located in alignment with said apertures at the front and rear of the needles,a feed-dog having fingers extending between the said projections o? the presser-foot, means giving a vertical reciprocatory motion to the presserfoot, and means giving a combined horizontal and vertical motion to the feeddog, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a presscr-foot N, of a spring applied to throw the said presserfoot downwardly, a bent lever N pivoted upon the' frame of the machine and provided with a horizontal arm connected with the presser-foot, a rock shaft N, provided with a depending arm engaging the said lever N and with a second arm extending to a point adjacent to the driving-shaft of the machine, and a cam upon said driving-shaft engaging said second arm of the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a feed-dog located above the work-plate of the machine, an arm 1?, sustaining saiddog, and means for movably sustaining the said arm from the machine-frame, affording a vertical and horizontal motion in the feed-dog, of means for giving a combined oscillatory and vertical movement to said feed-dog, consisting of a revolving shaft provided with two cams severally acting upon a part rigidly connected with said arm, a spring for depressing the feeddog, and a frictional retarding device attached to the machine and acting upon the movable part supporting the feed-dog, whereby the horizontal movement of the feed-dog, under the action of the cam, is limited or controlled, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a feed-dog l0- eated over the work-plate of the machine and an arm Q, sustaining said feed-dog, of means for movably sustaining the said arm from the machine-frame, affording a vertical and horizontal motion in the feed-dog, an arm Q", ri idly attached to said arm Q, a revolving shaft provided with two cams acting upon the upper end of said arm Q and a friction deviceconsisting of a plate or plates Q connected with the frame, a bolt passing through the said plate or plates and the arm Q and a spring-washer or equivalent means producing frictional engagement between said plate or plates and arm Q, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I at'tix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL GARDNER. Witnesses:

.TAs. HAsrINGs, \VILL II. PEASE. 

